Reviews

“...playing is winning, and there’s something quite satisfying about leading your house to power and glory through whatever means you can, for as long as you can.”
9,5/10 – Strategy Informer

“In short, Crusader Kings II is a majestic feudal sandbox, the greatest generator of hilarious medieval soap opera ever created and Paradox Interactive’s best title to date.”
90/100 – IncGamers

“It's perfectly possible to have made a few too many enemies, anger the Pope and find most of Europe out for your blood. That's really what makes the game so damn fun.”
9/10 – Destructoid

About This Game

The Dark Ages might be drawing to a close, but Europe is still in turmoil. Petty lords vie against beleaguered kings who struggle to assert control over their fragmented realms. The Pope calls for a Crusade to protect the Christians in the Holy Land even as he refuses to relinquish control over the investiture of bishops - and their riches. Now is the time for greatness. Expand your demesne and secure the future of your dynasty. Fill your coffers, appoint vassals, root out traitors and heretics, introduce laws and interact with hundreds of nobles, each with their own agenda.
A good lord will always need friends to support him. But beware, as loyal vassals can quickly turn to bitter rivals, and some might not be as reliable as they seem... Stand ready, and increase your prestige until the world whispers your name in awe. Do you have what it takes to become a Crusader King?
Crusader Kings II explores one of the defining periods in world history in an experience crafted by the masters of Grand Strategy. Medieval Europe is brought to life in this epic game of knights, schemes, and thrones...

Key features:

Start a game at any point between 1066 and 1337 and play until 1453

Pick a Christian lord and make sure his dynasty survives as you play a succession of his descendants through the ages

Gain Prestige for every successive character you play, furthering the glory of your Dynasty

Expand your feudal domain - and keep it from falling apart

Unravel the plots of your courtiers and vassals, each with their own opinions and agendas

Take up the Cross and fight the Moor, the Heathen and the Heretic.

Defend against the onslaught of the Mongol Horde

Struggle with the Pope for control of the bishops

Relive the Middle Ages with up to 32 other players in a competitive multiplayer mode

At the age of 16, my character developed a mad crush on a local girl. He crept into her room and banged her, then declared he loved her. 9 months later she gave birth to a child, he decided he didn't like it, smothered this child in its crib, pushed his lover off a balcony and then married a horny Greek princess and did it all over again until he commited suicide at the age of 72 because his son turned gay after coming back from a visit to Constantinople. Brilliant!

Determined to unite Ireland. Crazy Norse wife kills all my spymasters, poisons 2 of my sons in less than a year.

Half a year later adventurer from spain threatens me and I think "It's fine, he's no threat to me." 1 year later, 30,000 angry men attack my fledgling, petty kingdom, vassals declare independance, revolt happens and king dies from head injury in battle.

With 400 hours played, my biggest hope is that they stop releasing new DLC so that I can stop buying it.

The game is certainly not for everybody, and as above the amount of DLC can be intimidating. But if you enjoy the thought of creating a dynasty and playing it throughout history then this might be the game for you.

I no longer see people. I only see tools that I can use to further my own ends. Friends? Pfah! They will wear a smile on their face as they twist the knife in your back. Family? All envious of my position and willing to eat eachother just for a chance at my crown. Children? More tools in my political war chest to use as I see fiUURRRRRK...

Just minding my own business down in the little duchy of Serbia when three royal marriages and two feasts later I get a notification that I have inherited the entire kingdom of Denmark.

This game, with all of its DLCs for its full potential, is absolutely brilliant in that it brings character customisation and character development to a whole new level. Certainly different from the other Paradox Interactive franchises but in the best way possible. Each Paradox Interactive grand strategy has their own unique focus of gameplay which corresponds accurately to the time period and Crusader Kings II has definitely nailed it with their focus on indepth feudal systems and royal relations.

Also I imprisoned all my Danish vassals and watched Denmark plunge into anarchy under my command.

-Started as Byzantine Empire-1 in the afternoon-February 1st-Start at War against the Muslims-Imprison military general named Mohammad-Castrate Mohammad-Get blown up by ISIS-Make peace with Muslims-Fight wars against Italy-Conquer all of Italy and castrate King-Have son-Son Born in Purple-Italy will be lost upon succession to first born-Arrest and castrate first born-Italy safe-Vassals hate me-Vassals rebel-Put down rebellion-Revoke titles and castrate all rebelling vassals-expand against Armenia-Shi'a rises in Arabia-Holy wars against Africa-Take most of Northern Africa-Castrate all land owners and blind all military leaders-Go to war against Bulgaria-♥♥♥♥ Bulgaria-Castrate Bulgaria-Have two sons, not born in the purple-Have son born in the purple-Excommunicate, arrest, and castrate first two sons-People approve castration-Holy war against Moroccan Empires-Caliph gets called in-Muslims are ♥♥♥♥♥♥ me-Ruler dies in battle-Gain cruel trait blinding general-Whole kingdom revolts-Crown authority gets rekt-Muslims win-1000 gold in debt-Set up merchant republic in North Africa-Borrow money from Jews-Expel Jews-Castrate remaining Jews-Rebuild army-Take rest of Balkans-Army is huge-Take Southern HRE and southern France-Entire Arabian Empire rebels-Caliph down to 7500 troops-Holy Wars against Caliph-Take all the way down to Egypt-Capture Caliph-Castrate Caliph-Wage war on Morocco-Capture Morocco-Just Spain left-Have another son-Born in purple-Ask for first son to be excommunicated-Denied-Arrest son-Castrate son-Vassals hate me-Vassals rebel-Hire mercenaries-♥♥♥♥ Vassals-Arabia invades-♥♥♥♥ Arabia-Castrate Vassals-Castrate Caliph-Holy War against Spain-Take eastern coast in many holy wars-So many castrated Muslim men-No more reproduction in Spain.-Build back army-Castrate my first born for the last time-Finish off Spanish Muslims-Castrate whole prison cell-Take Christian stronghold in Spain.-Release king-I am merciful-Reunite Roman Empire-Look up at clock-1 pm-February 2nd-I guess Rome was built in a day